Liverpool learn HUGE Cheick Doucoure asking price

Stuart Telford

• 25 Aug 2023 21:01 BST
• 3 min read

Liverpool remain in the market for a defensive midfielder despite signing Wataru Endo, but Crystal Palace's Cheick Doucoure won't come cheap.

Most of Liverpool's transfer business this summer has revolved around their new-look midfield.

Fabinho and Jordan Henderson have left for significant sums to the Saudi Pro League, while James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita were all allowed to leave on free transfers.

READ: REVEALED: Liverpool's NEW midfield shortlist

While Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and, now, Endo have been signed from Brighton, RB Leipzig and VfB Stuttgart respectively, there remains a slight personnel shortage in the middle of the park, and Jurgen Klopp would like to add Doucoure to his squad.

But Palace holding on for significant fees for their most in-demand players towards the end of the transfer window, according to the Evening Standard's Dom Smith.

"Crystal Palace will demand at least £70 million for both Eberechi Eze and Cheick Doucoure in the final week of the transfer window," he reports. "Palace hope their £70m valuations of both players will be enough to fend off interest from City and Liverpool."

READ: The REAL reason why Chelsea missed out on Michael Olise

Olise signed new contract

Palace tied Olise down to a new four-year contract recently - something manager Roy Hodgson described as "the best possible news" - with Manchester City reportedly keen to sign the Frenchman as the Al-Ahli-bound Riyad Mahrez's replacement.

Liverpool could likely afford the £70m asking price for Doucoure having offered more than £100m for Moises Caicedo in an attempt to sign the Brighton man from under Chelsea's noses recent. Whether they would or not is another matter.

Doucoure is a top Premier League performer who was in the 94th percentile for interceptions among defensive midfielders across Europe's top five leagues per UEFA coefficient last season, but he has also already seen his 28th birthday.

Like Olise, he is under contract until the summer of 2027, though, which helps drive up his potential fee beyond the current €22.7m (£19.5) he is valued at by FootballTransfers' in-house algorithm.